Ali R. Abtahi, DO MSc

As a plastic surgeon, I find the most fulfilling aspect of my work is seeing my patients happy with their results. Boosting their confidence and giving them a positive mindset is a transformation that occurs inside and out. My goal is to find their strengths and enhance them while sanding down the rough edges. It is important to guide my patients through their surgical journey to ensure their experience is personalized and satisfactory. If they are not pleased with the results, I will revise them until they are satisfied or refer them to an expert. Ultimately, I am committed to delivering the highest quality results and creating a positive impact on their lives.

The decision to pursue a career in medicine was rooted in my childhood, inspired by my mother’s dream to become a doctor. My mom is a Salvadorian immigrant who came at the age of 19 with $40 in her pocket and wanted to become a doctor. But after meeting my father, having kids, and then, unfortunately, getting a divorce, she was forced to work diligently to single-handedly raise myself, my older sister, and also my cousin, who had come from El Salvador. My mother was never able to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. However, she planted a seed in me when I was very young that medicine might be something I would want to do. As I grew older, particularly during middle and junior high school, this interest became more and more legitimate.

My interest in medicine grew as the narrator watched a show about surgeries and realized the power of surgery to heal. My journey toward becoming a doctor was an uphill climb but one that was driven by the desire to help people and relate to them on a human level. After exploring different surgical specialties, I decided to pursue plastic surgery because it matched my artistic inclination and belief in the power of appearance to affect confidence and self-esteem. As a plastic surgeon, my philosophy is to bring out the beauty in patients and help them transform from the inside out through permanent lifestyle changes.

The thing that sets our practice apart is the personalized experience we offer to each patient. We do not use a cookie-cutter approach and are not volume-based. Instead, we listen to our patients’ goals and wishes and tailor our services accordingly. We recognize that not everyone wants the same procedures, and some people may only want natural-looking results. Therefore, we use different approaches and methods for each patient, depending on their individual needs.

We do not follow the same protocol for every patient because we understand that each person is unique, and we take all factors into consideration. We will not do procedures on patients that we do not believe in, even if we could make more money by doing so. We strive to develop a human-to-human connection with our patients and make every effort to put them at ease so they feel comfortable sharing their concerns with us. Our goal is to create a genuine bond with our patients and provide a personalized experience that is unmatched elsewhere.

When patients come in for a consultation, I make sure to focus on building a strong doctor-patient relationship. During the consultation, I do the majority of the discussion with the patient and take the time to listen to their goals and concerns. I want to know what specifically they’re looking for, what they don’t like, and what they do like. Patients are encouraged to bring in pictures of their ideal results, and we discuss whether their expectations are realistic. I stress that the process is a team effort between the patient and me, and I encourage patients to put in the work before and after surgery to achieve their desired results.

I make it clear to patients that even the best surgeons cannot perfectly hit the mark of what they’re looking for, so we focus on making them look better, not perfect. I tell patients that the process is a journey and that swelling and recovery are a part of it, and we are there to hold their hand through the entirety of the process. During consultations, I start our conversations by asking two questions. The first question is where the patient is from, which gives me a perspective on how I can connect with them on a human level. The second question is for the patient to tell me something unique about themselves. This gives me an opportunity to build a connection with them and remember their story, face, and name. Patients have shared extraordinary stories with me, from trying out for American Idol to surviving an awful wildfire. By taking the time to get to know my patients on a personal level, I can better understand their goals and tailor my approach to their unique needs.